Lubricating oil



Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES v 1,705,298 PATENT OFFICE.

KENNETH G. MACKENZIE, OF WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT, AND RAYMOND HASKELL, 0F

SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE TEXAS COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LUBRICATING OIL.

No. Drawin g.

This invention relates to lubricating oils and more particularly to lubricating oils whiclnare compounded, having hydrocarbon oils as a base.

In a'certain type of automobile commonly in use having planetary transmission, the brake or transmission bands become worn and glazed so that when their surfaces are brought together in operation they do not immediately grip but are caused to slip or chatter. This is detrimental to the bands and produces uncertainty in the operation of the car.

In the endeavor to-overcome such diiiiculties we have discovered that a small amount of oxidized parafiine wax added to the usual hydrocarbon lubricating oil produces the very beneficial effect of preventing chattermg.

The oxidized parafiinewaxwhich is used in compounding our lubricating oil is produced by blowing crude or refined wax with air at an elevated temperature for a considerable period of time. A change takes place in the .chemical characteristics of the material, acidity developing not only as evidenccd by the increasing acidity of the material itself, but also by the fact that some volatile acids may be condensed from the air after it has passed through the hot material. In addition to these, however, certain saponifiable bodies or esters are formed, apparently from the condensation of acids and alcohols produced by the oxidation. These esters are found to differ from the ordi-' nary saponifiable oils or,.fats in that they do not readily saponify when treated with aqueous alkali solution lmt require treatment with an alcoholic solution of alkali to effect complete saponification.

Upon separation of the constituents of the oxidized paraffine wax and compounding them separately with hydrocarbon lubricating oil, it is found that the previously m'en tioned esters when so used are particularly valuable for the prevention of chattering, even when added in quantities as small as g, of 1%. We have also discovered that these same esters greatly increase the lubrieating properties of a hydrocarbon 011. How ever, inasmuch as the acids and the unchanged Wax in the oxidized material do not adversely effect the valuable'properties of the esters, the oxidized wax itself may be Application filed August 21, 1924. Serial No. 733,283.

used for compounding, thus avoiding the, expense involved in the extraction of the esters.

The following is a specific example of a method which has been found suitable in the oxidation of parafline wax to produce a finished product having a sufiiciently large proportion of esters. A charge of 50 pounds of paraflinc wax is maintained at atemperature of from 295 to 300 F., in an enameled vessel while air is introduced in fine streams at the bottom of the vessel. The. rate of introduction of the air is dependent upon the degree of distribution and ooptact which isobtained with the reaction materials. The oxidation is allowed to proceed for a period of about forty-eight hours, during which time there is a loss of from 7 to 10 per cent in the weight of the charge due to volatilization products being carried ofi' with the air stream. A typical sample of material produced by this treatment has the following characteristics:

Acid number 39.8 Total saponification number 170.5 Neutral saponification number 130.7 Melting point 107F. Neutral saponification number 3 28 Acid numb er Another sample of the same material was treated first with alkali to neutralize the free acid and then treated with methyl ethyl ketone in which the paralfine wax is, for practical purposes, insoluble. The following results were obtained:

Free acid Q. 22.4% Material insoluble in methyl ethyl ketone (unsaponifiable material, mainly Wax) 16.8 Material soluble in methyl ethyl ketone (saponifiable material, mainly esters) 60.8

small quantities since these have proven suflicient to give the desired results. The oxidized wax will mix without difficulty in the lubricating oil and will not separate out even at comparatively low temperatures.

While we have thus specifically described our invention, various modifications thereof may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and we desire, therefore, to be limited only as indicated 4 in the appended claims.v

Whatwe claim is:

1. A composition of matter comprising a hydrocarbon oil mixed with about 2% of oxidized parafiine wax.

2. A composition of'matter comprising a hydrocarbon oil and oxidized parafline Wax.

3. A'composition of matter comprising a hydrocarbon oil mixed with a comparatively small amount of oxidized parafiine wax.

4. A composition of matter comprising a hydrocarbon oil mixed with a comparatively small amount of parafiine wax which has been oxidized in such manner as to contain a larger proportion of saponifiable material than of free acid.

5. A lubricating'oil comprising a hydrocarbon oil and oxidized parafiin wax.

6. A lubricating oil comprising a hydrocarbon oil and a comparatively small amount of neutral saponifiable material derived from the oxidation of paraffin wax.

7. A lubricating oil comprising a hydrohydrocarbon oil mixed with a comparatively. A

small amount of oxidized paraflin wax whose content of saponifiable material and free acid is in the proportion of greater than two to one.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 15th day of August, 1924.

KENNETH G. MACKENZIE. RAYMOND HASKELL. 

